Are Smart Locks Safe? – Douglas J. Fisher

Doorstops and keys used to be just those—doorstops and keys. But because of the advancement of technology and the increased focus on home security, the word “smart” has been appended to the names of several products. So, what does this word actually mean? The term “smart locks” refers to locks that can connect to other types of technology. A smart lock can connect to your home Wi-Fi in the same way that your smartphone can.

As long as you have an internet connection, this link makes it convenient and enables remote lock activation. Wi-Fi connectivity does, however, not only carry with it the numerous advantages of technology, but also some drawbacks. This frequently prompts people to question if smart locks are hackable.

No two smart locks are alike, just as no two conventional locks are the same. The following information should allay your concerns about security if you are thinking about installing smart locks but are concerned.

Smart Locks Are Convenient and Safe

Even though no two smart locks are exactly alike, they frequently have similar characteristics. These attributes can be divided into two groups: those that increase the lock’s convenience and those that increase the lock’s security.

Convenience

Mobile accessibility: Smart locks can link to a mobile app, enabling you to lock and unlock your door from any location in the globe with an internet connection and monitor how frequently family members or visitors enter and exit the home.
In the dark, a backlit keypad makes it simpler to see, preventing you from stumbling around in the dark while attempting to hit the correct keys.
Automation and reminders: You can prevent forgetting to lock the door by setting reminders or configuring your door to lock automatically after a predetermined amount of time.
Smart keys eliminate the need to have extra copies of your house key lying about to let people in and out of your house as needed. No more misplaced keys.
Change access codes: When you lose track of who has a spare key, you can simply change the access codes rather than having to install a brand-new lock, which is what you have to do with a regular lock.

Safety

Custom user access codes: You can build custom user access codes for many programmable locks so that each member of the family or visitor has a unique code. In this manner, you can distinguish between your children coming home from school and the dog walker.
Limit access: By not having extra keys lying around, you take away at least one easy option for a burglar to enter your home. Additionally, all it takes is a simple door code modification to deny someone entrance.
Work in tandem with your security system: Smart locks can be connected to cameras and security systems for your home, enabling you to see who is at the door and lock or unlock the door for them appropriately.
Emergency automation: You can programme your camera system to lock the doors if motion is detected in case of an emergency.
Smart door locks from ADT have unique bump guard technology. Lock pickers can pick a typical door lock by using the technique known as “lock bumping.”
Observe who enters and exits: Alerts delivered from your phone let you keep tabs on who enters and exits.

All of the aforementioned functions are available in ADT’s Smart Locks, in addition to the option of adding them to the ADT mobile app, which lets you manage all of your home security and smart home gadgets so that they can cooperate.

Is It Possible to Pick a Smart Lock?

Traditional pin and tumbler locks operate by putting a key into a cylinder that has pins inside of it that are different heights. The lock may be opened by turning the cylinder, which is made possible by the key’s precise placement of notches that line up with the pins and lift them to the proper height.

There are two ways to pick a lock:

Raking: Raking is one of the simplest lock picking techniques. Without the key, lockpickers insert the pins one at a time using a specific rake tool.
Using a so-called “bump key” inserted into the keyhole, the lock picker taps or bumps the keyhole to finally startle the pins out of their locked positions. This is a different picking technique known as bumping. Typically, this technique leaves no damage or indication that the lock has been picked.

However, a deadbolt that employs disc tumblers or a different design from the pin and tumbler configuration cannot be opened using a bump key or by raking.

The main fact is that well-constructed smart locks are significantly more challenging to pick than regular locks and need sophisticated techniques that the common criminal is unlikely to possess.

With the keypad, they also have an integrated backup system. Most locks are programmed to time out after being entered incorrectly too many times. This stops someone from simply approaching your door and attempting a variety of numbers in the hopes of striking it fortunate.

Can Smart Locks Be Hacked?

Many people are unsure if smart locks may be hacked because they are connected to the internet. Some smart locks are superior to others in terms of security. Any smart lock you choose needs to come from a trustworthy supplier, so make sure of that. To ensure that your lock is resistant to hacking, look for the features listed below:

128-bit encryption: This is the same encryption used to protect your credit card data when you make purchases from online merchants.
Two-factor authentication: When you’ve tried to log into an account and your device wasn’t detected, you had to obtain a text with a verification code. This is two-factor authentication in action. Any attempts to log into your account are need to be validated when a new device is discovered.
Long passwords: The more complicated and lengthy the password, the harder it is to crack. Due to the amount of computation required, brute force assaults, in which a hacker runs a software examining all character combinations to guess at passwords, are unable to break sufficiently long passwords.
Z-Wave technology: This wireless system enables communication between smart devices and your smart hub. While it shares similarities with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Z-Wave is frequently seen as being safer since it employs proprietary code and permits the use of robust encryption.

One cannot overstate how crucial it is to purchase your smart lock from a reputable manufacturer and have it installed and configured correctly. Make sure you select a hack-proof smart lock because some of them can be.

Are Smart Locks Any Safer Than Regular Locks?

There are numerous things to take into account when selecting a lock for your front door, including its usability and security. No lock is perfect.

It can be similar to comparing apples and oranges when comparing smart locks to conventional locks. There are apples that are superior to others and there are oranges that are superior to others, but how can you compare the two?

Traditional door locks can be anything from cheap, shoddy, and simple to pick to more reliable, intricate, and hard to tamper with. Some smart locks may also be rather simple to break into if they are made improperly and not distributed by a reputable business.

All of the typical security features of a lock are present in a secure smart lock, together with security features to guard against hackers.

When someone discovers where you kept the spare key or if a copy of the key ends up in the hands of someone you don’t want to have access to your home, the lock doesn’t even need to be picked. This is the weakness of a well-built traditional lock.

The bottom line: When two-factor authentication and 128-bit encryption are activated on a well-made smart lock, not only is it improbable that someone will obtain a replacement key, but also typical lock picking techniques will fail and electronic access through hacking will be all but impossible.